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Hendra virus (HeV) is a member of the family Paramyxoviridae and one of two virus species in the genus Henipavirus (the other being Nipah virus). HeV was first isolated in 1994 from specimens obtained during an outbreak of respiratory and neurologic disease in horses and humans in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia.

The natural reservoir for Hendra virus has since been identified as the flying fox (bats of the genus Pteropus).

Since 1994 and as of 2013, Hendra virus infections in humans remain rare; only seven cases have been reported.